Popular
by Isilme'sStar
Summary: (edited). What if, while trying to solve a mystery with Betty, Jughead ends up at a frat party in Riverdale College? What horrors could he encounter! Short jughead fic with a bit of bughead. Slightly AU, personal attempt at humour, post murder, no mention of season finale. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

Coming out of retirement never felt this good!

After reading so many Bughead stories, I finally got inspired to write my own!

It's been bugging me how angsty Jughead's character is portrayed, both on the show and in fanfics ... I mean poor guy, can't he finally get a freaking break! What other horrors can he be subjected to?! So, instead of writing a _mega-constant raincloud over me-super-angst_ fic, I decided to go the other way around and make this short story about Jughead being popular.

Hopefully someone will enjoy reading this!

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay with this Jug?" Betty asked as she stood in front of him, straightening his flannel shirt and the beanie on his head. Smiling satisfied, she leaned in for a quick kiss.

"Yes, _mom_." He said, slightly bothered. "Can you please stop asking me that! I'm coming with you but god knows something's bad going to happen. Parties just seem to attract bad voodoo… And if I can barely withstand the heckling from the Mooses and Reggies of high school, how I am to survive with the frat boys?" Pacing in Archie's bedroom, Jughead pursed his lips as he took a deep breath. He looked at Betty who tried to hide her smile. "Oh, you're just enjoying this aren't you?" He quipped.

Betty walked over to him and grabbed his hands. "I know you're worried and I am ever so grateful that you're agreeing to this but just try to relax, ok? I mean, this is a frat party at Riverdale college! We literally don't know anyone and hopefully they won't get to know us." She said, reassuringly. "We'll go there, try to talk to that Jeremy person and see if we can find out anything… And then, we'll be out of there and have a night cap at Pop's, my treat."

Jughead exhaled a bit, the nervousness slightly fading… She held his gaze and would not let go of it. He felt utterly hopeless as he knew he'd follow her through hell if she only battered her eyes sweetly at him. "I really hope that Jeremy person is worth all the trouble."

"Definitely." Betty exclaimed. "The girl I talked to the other day said that she'd heard Jeremy overhear some other girls talk about Lucy."

Jughead looked doubtful. "What?" He exclaimed, bringing one finger after another. "So this girl." He lifted one finger. "talked to this guy." He lifted a second finger. "Who talked about these other girls." He then lifted a third finger. "about the whereabouts of a stuffed vixen? This girl who you just started talking to at the coffee shop? Do you know how ridiculous this all sounds?"

Betty threw her arms in the air. "I know, it _does_ sound stupid Juggie but the girl sounds legit, she's studying in journalism and Jeremy is a good friend of hers. She was quite nice and when I told her about our problem, she was more than willing to help. And besides, it's the only lead I got so far." Her voice faltered slightly.

"Oh come on Betts. Don't tell me you're really bothered by the loss of a stuffed dead animal?" Jughead shook his head, unable to understand why he himself should go on a quest on finding the whereabouts of a dearly missed mascot of the River Vixens cheerleading squad. " _Lucy_ " as she was called stood proudly in the Riverdale's trophy wall for the last 18 years. Her bright red fur, piercing glass eyes and graceful stance constantly provided motivation and courage for the young aspiring cheerleaders before competitions. One can imagine the chaos that shocked the squad and the school when the animal had simply disappeared in thin air. The cheerleaders went into a frenzy, contacting Weatherbee and the police to insist for an investigation as their next competition was only two weeks away. Cheryl Blossom even offered a handsome reward (and threatening a school ban to the culprit). Luckily Betty and Veronica were not so affected by the loss of the animal but they soon realized that the rest of the team was.

Betty took it upon herself to try and help out her ailing squad by starting her own investigation (with the reluctant help of her dutiful boyfriend). They'd asked around the school without much results. They'd even asked Joaquin if someone from South Side High could have been trying to even a score with Riverdale High until Joaquin said that they did not even have a cheerleading squad and that they couldn't care less of stealing a piece of fur (or so were his words).

Their searches were fruitless and Betty and Jughead almost gave up until the River Vixens made a horrible show at the regional competition, one of the girls ending up falling from the top of the pyramid and breaking her wrist. They intensified their search until one day while waiting at a local coffee shop for her cappuccino she overheard the girl in front of her talking on the phone about this Jeremy who had seemingly overheard these girls talking about a stuffed fox. She befriended the girl and just her luck, Olivia was majoring in journalism at Riverdale College. They talked politely until Betty mentioned what she'd overheard and the current status of her cheerleading squad. Olivia had then invited her to a frat party where she knew Jeremy (who was her _best gay_ ) was going to be there.

"Look, Jughead, these girls can literally not live without that damn piece of fur,okay?" Betty said, frustrated that Jughead could not show some sympathy for the River Vixen. "They need Lucy back. We did bad at regionals, we have to try again at the second round and that's only 2 weeks away. We _need_ her back, Juggie." Her eyes lowered as her expression saddened for a moment.

Jughead walked closer, fighting the urge to shake some sense into her, and pulled her in his arms, chewing on the words he wished he could say and instead relished into the sweet vanilla smell. "Don't worry Bets, we'll figure this out… Your lead sounds legit though, I'm pretty sure we'll find something…" He gulped. "As long as its not some deep dark secret or some list of a college frat house."

Burying her head in his chest, Betty chuckled and pulled playfully on his suspenders that were peeking out of his pants. "We'll be fine. Its across town, no one should know us." She repeated gently.

"You said _should_." Jughead replied uncertain.

Betty was about to reply when the phone rang. Rolling her eyes, she swiped at the screen. "Hi mom." She said exasperated. "Yeah…" She pursed her lips as her mother's voice resonated in her brain. "Mom! I told you, I'm going to dinner at Pop's with Jughead and then we're going to the movies…" Her eyes bulged as she held her mouth in a "O" while waiting impatiently to interrupt. "Mom! That's not fair!" She paused midway and walked over to the window. Jughead slowly followed her until they both could see Alice Cooper standing in Betty's room, pointing at them while she still held the phone. The cold dead stare from the reigning Queen revealed that no persuasion would make her change her mind. Jughead stepped away from the window, shivering from tip to toe. _It's like having a deadly snake for a mother in law_. He turned to Betty who seemed utterly defeated as she slumped down on Archie's bed. Her eyes lowered, she merely nodded and gave a short answer before pulling the phone away from her ear, throwing it on the bed.

Groaning, Betty fell back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Jughead sat down next to her, not liking what he was about to hear. "What happened?" He dared to ask, hating what her own mom could do to her. He placed his hands on her knees, rubbing them gently.

"My mom happened." Betty groaned. "She wants me to come home right now for an sudden obligatory family dinner."

"Well." Jughead said, concealing his relief and secretly thanking Alice Cooper. "That sucks. I'm pretty sure there will be other college parties we can go…"

"Oh, Jughead, god knows when that'll be and I mean, we got invited…" Betty said, huffing as she brought her arms across her chest. They both remained silent until Betty suddenly lifted her head and looking strangely at her boyfriend.

Jughead stared back, quizzically, until he noticed the fire behind her eyes and did not like it one bit. Betty sat up again, her eyes piercing into his. Jughead knew that stare very well and started immediately to shake his head.

"No." He said firmly.

Betty looked at him from below her lashes and smiled shyly. "No."

She scooted closer to him and grabbed his hands, her smile growing wider. "No." He repeated, knowing his defenses would not be able to stand the girly smiles, soft touches and sweet smells for very long. Betty then placed her hand on his thigh, gently drawing circles as she leaned her head on his shoulder. His body reacting to her proximity, Jughead sighed loudly before he gave in and pressed his body against hers, both falling back on Archie's bed. Giggling, Betty grinned as he kissed her neck and collarbone. She wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you." She whispered in his ear.

He raised his head and looked at her. "Damn you and your womanly persuasions." He said huskily before their lips met and explored one another, all their problems disappearing momentarily. They heard a phone buzzing nearby and Betty lifted her head, knowing her mother was probably calling her again. She detached herself and sat up on the bed. Slowly she peaked her head towards the window and saw her mother again, one hand on her hip and the other holding her phone. Even if they were hundreds of feet away from one another, Betty could feel the ultimate " _mom_ " look she was sending her right now and it didn't bode very well. Taking a deep breath, Betty stared at her back and lifted her hand. _Five minutes_. Alice narrowed her eyes before nodding her head. Betty waited until Alice left her bedroom before letting her shoulders fall down and took a deep breath.

"The evil step-mom is calling you home, I gather." Jughead said as he stood up from the bed.

"Yeah." She sighed, lowering her eyes.

"Well then I guess I should be going as well." He took a deep breath.

Betty pulled on his shirt and smiled reassuringly. "Look, I'm sorry I can't be there. I'll try to do my best and my parents were meant to see this play in Greendale so I'll sneak out as soon as they leave. Give me two hours tops, okay?" Jughead nodded his head and looked down, the uncertainty. Betty pulled his chin up and made him look at him, smiling brightly. "Hey, you can do this, ok? Just be yourself…"

Jughead's blue eyes opened wide before he looked away, slightly annoyed. "Yeah, like that ever helped…" He said darkly. "Like I said, Jughead and parties just don't mix together…" She gently brushed his cheek. "But I'll do it! For you Betty Cooper! I'll go try to find this Jeremy person and find that damn piece of shitty smelling fur."


	2. Chapter 2

A big thank you to those who've decided to follow the story! I really appreciate it! My efforts have not been in vain!

* * *

 _Now this is exactly like a Seth Rogen movie_ , Jughead reflected as the booming sound grew louder for every step he took closer to the frat house. After a short trip on the bus, Jughead had arrived on the other side of town. He knew he'd arrived at the right place as he could see several frat houses aligned one after the other and a whole lot of college students walking about at such a late hour. One of the houses stood out of all the others. It was like any other large house, it vaguely reminded him of the Andrew's household, only larger. All the lights were turned on, the students were walking in and out, some stationing themselves on the lawn, others by the garage.

Jughead could imagine the excitement of most of the guests attending the said party but he just slowed down his pace, the entire place making his blood grow cold. Even the funeral at Thornhill mansion was no match for the horrors that waited for him at the Beta Alpha Omega frat house. _It's like being at a party filled with Reggies and Mooses, only drunker, larger and far more confident_ … Memories of his birthday party returned and did not help his confidence. _Do this for_ _Betty_ , he told himself as he arrived in front of the house. _Do this for her_.

"Entering the belly of the best, yet again." He whispered to himself as he looked up at the house.

Walking into the front lawn, Jughead looked around to see if he could find the girl Oliva first. It occurred to him on the bus that Betty had forgotten to mention how this Olivia or Jeremy looked like. With a quick search on his phone, Jughead managed to find a picture of Olivia since she worked at the college newspaper but nothing about this Jeremy except that he was gay. _Like a needle in a hay stack._

A bunch of guys were sitting on the grass with a bong and several beers looked up at him, muttering between themselves. Jughead avoided any eye contact, fearing to become easy prey. He thought he managed to avoid the problem when one of them called out to him.

"Hey!" A blond-haired guy holding a bong called out at him. He smiled goofily, clearly high.

Jughead bit his lip and turned to look at the group of guys. "Yeah?" He tried to say nonchalantly.

"Dude, can you like, show us your shirt?" The blonde asked curious. Jughead gulped. His bully barometer was not detecting any hostility from the group. Frowning, he opened his jacket, feeling the need to oblige to these stoners, revealing the shirt in question. "Cool shirt." He said before his friends nodded their heads and returned to their illegal consumptions.

Jughead looked down at his famous S shirt and then at the guys again before he frowned and walked in the house, wondering what the hell that was about.

The music booming in his ears, Jughead's eyes opened wide in uncertainty as a swarm of college students were buzzing around the frat house, talking, laughing, drinking and dancing eagerly. Feeling a drop of sweat falling down his back, Jughead's mouth turned dry as he wondered how in the hell could he find two people in question. Fighting the " _this was a bad idea_ " thought out of his mind, Jughead pursed his lips and searched the room with his eyes, wondering where to start.

The house, like a regular school, was separated according to different social groups. He could notice the drunks playing whatever drinking game on the dinner table, the cool kids sitting on the couch, either talking, making out or dancing to whatever music that was booming in the sound system. He looked at the stairs and could see several couples sitting neatly, many eyeing the bedrooms upstairs. Now which place would bring the whole population together? He searched the different rooms before his eyes landed on the copious amounts of food in the kitchen… _The kitchen_! _Of course! Like a watering hole in the savannah or an oasis in a desert! Where else would you get your beer, chips, pretzels or slices of pizza!_

Deciding it was probably the best place to start, Jughead went to get himself a slice of cheesy pepperoni pizza and chose a discreet corner by the fridge. People came by, grabbing what they needed and leaving to another part of the house, very few paying any attention to his presence.

Jughead was getting slightly bored as time passed on, getting nowhere. At least, from what he overheard, most of the campus was undergoing midterm exams and the major discussion of the night seemed to be the difficulty of these said exams. Their eagerness to get drunk and forget all their hard work in order to have fun was quite present as the alcohol consumption was at an all-time high.

Jughead was considering moving on to the pool to see if anyone had anything better to talk about when several girls appeared in the kitchen, attacking the food and alcohol. They caught Jughead's attention as they were seemingly talking about some assignment about ethics in journalism. _Bingo!_ He thought to himself as he nonchalantly took another soda can from the fridge and kept busy drinking its content.

"I swear Olivia said Mr. Pollock was going to have a question on that!" A black girl with red weaves sighed as she drank a long sip of beer. "She warned me but did I listen to her? No!" She shook her head dramatically, earning some eye rolls from her two other friends.

"Don't be too hard on yourself, Sky." A brown haired girl with glasses said, patting Sky on the back. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

Sky huffed and gave a sharp look at her friend. "Agnes, it's worth 40 percent of the semester, if I fail, I'll have to bust my ass for the _rest_ of the semester."

The three girls kept talking and Jughead was certain that they were mentioning the same Olivia that Betty had talked to. Knowing what must be done, he took several steps towards the group. The three girls turned towards him, observing him coldly.

"Eh, hi." Jughead said a little too nervous. "I'm sorry to interrupt-"

The black haired girl, Sky, put her hands on her hips, frowning unimpressed. "I don't think you're interrupting anything." She said harshly. "You've been standing next to us, eavesdropping quite openly for the last couple of minutes."

Jughead was slightly taken aback and was already preparing a long speech for Betty about how this was the worst idea she ever had but then he thought about how she would have been disappointed by the lack of progress in their search and then took back his little speech. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that, well… I sorta did but not for the reasons you might think." He replied, more honest as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. "I'm just looking for someone and I think you might know her. Well, actually, I'm looking for two people. Olivia?" He paused and looked hopeful. "Do you know her? She's in the journalism program or so I've heard… Or maybe a Jeremy?"

"Olivia and Jeremy are best friends." Sky replied, the harshness replaced by curiosity.

The girl in the middle and the one with the glasses looked at one another before smiling. "Oh, you're looking for Jeremy are you?" The girl with glasses said playfully, observing Jughead closely. "Yeah…" She turned to the other girl and whispered eagerly.

Sky stared at Jughead, considering what he'd just said and for a moment he felt like he was in an American Idol episode, waiting for Simon to bite his head off.

"What do you want with them?" Sky asked, taking a step closer, breaking away from the other two girls.

Jughead sighed, fixing his beanie. "I just need to talk to her about something, something that we've lost, can we leave it at that?" He muttered, exasperated. "We were meant to meet up at the party…"

Sky rolled her eyes and broke into laughter, pulling her cellphone from her purse, punching in a few keys. "Just relax kid, she's always talking to random strangers… I guess that's the perk of working for the school paper..." She stepped back. "I just sent her a message, oh, I'll go get her, she's by the pool." She said as she looked at her phone. "I'll be right back."

Sighing in relief, Jughead imagined a little victory dance in his head as he felt gaining a slight momentum. Perhaps finding Lucy would end up being much simpler than he had imagined. He thought maybe sending a message to Betty, letting her know but didn't want her to hurry more than she had to.

What he was unable to handle however was the ever-constant stare of Sky's two friends. The girls were still standing there, studying him intensely and whispering rapidly between one another.

Feeling the bully rally coming on, Juhgead was preparing himself for whatever insult that was about to be sent at him. He was hoping he could avoid that type of shit in college but obviously it seemed intent on following him wherever he went. Sighing inward, he leaned back against the counter, hoping Sky would return with the mysterious Olivia.

The girl with glasses cleared her throat and turned towards Jughead, being pushed on by her other friend. "So, Emilia and I were wondering whether you were interested in Jeremy since you asked for him." The girl said eagerly, her eyes glittering hopeful.

Emilia came over and smiled kindly at him. "The thing is, Jeremy just broke up with Anthony, and you're sort of his type. He needs to get over that loser and you might just cheer him up." The girls looked hopeful at Jughead.

Not knowing whether to be mortified or flattered, he took a deep breath. "Oh, eh, okay." He said nervously. "Thing is, I have a girlfriend, no offense to Jeremy."

Emilia and the other girl lowered their heads, disappointed before they shrugged, knowing their _gaydar_ had probably been proven faulty tonight. The girls with glasses took a drink from her beer and looked at him with renewed interest, smiling sweetly. Jughead frowned, wondering what the hell was happening right now.

"My name is Agnes." The girl with glasses said sweetly as she took yet another swig from her beer, her eyes locking with Jughead.

"I'm Emilia." The brown hair girl said, smiling as she scooted up and sat on the kitchen counter, followed by Agnes. "So, how have mid-terms been for you…?"

"Jughead, my name is Jughead." He said, slightly uncomfortable at the sudden niceness from these college girls.

"Jughead?" Agnes repeated, the word sounding weird as she said it. "That's an interesting name. Is it short for something?"

"Something like that." He replied.

Emilia shrugged, tossing her hair back. "Well, its original and a lot better than Tallulah or Ezequiel."

"Ezequiel?" Agnes laughed. "Yeah, okay, Jughead is better. So how were mid-terms for you, Jughead? Pulled all nighters?"

"They were all right." Jughead lied, not knowing what would make things less worse. "I think I did good."

"Really, then you must be a brain." Emilia scoffed, unimpressed. "From what I've heard, everyone's been struggling. I remember hearing that Riverdale college is trying to upgrade their standard. They don't want to be considered like a small county college anymore… Not that they'll ever become an ivy league school… I mean come on! There's a reason why kids apply there…"

Jughead let the girls do most of the talking, asking anything to keep their attention away from him. They seemingly believed that he was a college student like him and treated him as such. Agnes and Emilia also appeared genuinely nice and despite finding it awkward to speak to total strangers, Jughead strangely felt at ease. His faith in humanity had slightly increased. Perhaps he could survive in college, he thought, a small wicker of hope lighting in his chest.

Suddenly a girl entered in the kitchen and went right over to Emilia and Agnes, the sudden cackling erupting into high gear. The girl just emitted an air of confidence and sassiness that simply reminded Jughead of Veronica Lodge. The girl dressed very similar to his raven acquaintance and even the manner she spoke made him wonder whether Veronica had a long-lost twin somewhere… _Remember to not get those two together_ , he thought wisely, wondering what horrors they could accomplish once united.

"Miranda, hi!" Emilia cooed as she gave her friend a hug. "You came!"

"Of course I had to come, I couldn't have missed the party for the world! How are my girls doing? Where's Sky?" She said with a southern accent.

"She went off to get Olivia." The three of them went on to talk quickly and animatedly. Jughead's ears began to rang as the ranting and laughter reminded him of a chicken coop. He'd hoped that Sky would come back now, as soon as possible, he was tempted to run to the swimming pool only to escape the cluckering that surrounded him. Then he heard his name spoken and the three girls were now staring at him.

Miranda stared at Jughead from head to toe. Her light brown eyes surveyed him intensely showing a sudden interest in him. "Since when are suspenders back in style?" She asked as she looked at his pants and the suspenders hanging down his legs and then looked at his head. "And a freaking beanie shaped like a crown… Interesting… Hmm, I'm seeing several layers of clothes on you, are you like wearing your entire wardrobe?" Without waiting for an answer, she walked up to him and touched his S shirt, his flannel shirt and then his jacket. She dared to lift his shirt and look underneath, seeing his white tank. Having enough of this unwanted physical observation, Jughead pulled away, straightening his clothes while he noticed Agnes and Emilia laughing quietly.

Miranda's eyes widened as she stepped back and put a hand on her chest, her cheeks reddening. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm in the fashion line, and I'm always looking for new inspiration. I usually get up close and start dissecting interesting subjects when they pop up in front of me…" She said apologetically. "It's a bad habit."

Jughead leaned back against the counter, slightly embarrassed. Was he going to explain to her that his wardrobe is mostly chosen from thrift stores and hand me downs from his dear old dad?

The raven haired girl smiled embarrassed and introduced herself as Miranda Cane. "I have to say, Jughead, I really like your style. It really brings out the broody, angry Donnie Darko look without going totally goth or grunge, sort of like a modernized grunge. I don't know you but you are so owning your clothes. I can see that they say a lot about you…"

"Eh, thanks?." Jughead said, fixing the beanie on his head. "I don't really know what to say, I just pick clothes for necessity." He explained without wanting to elaborate. "I'm not a big fan of colour."

"So I've noticed." Miranda nodded. She clapped her hands and looked at her friends who were following closely, intrigued. "Girls, I have been officially inspired! Jughead, thank you."

"You're welcome?" He muttered, looking towards the pool, hoping he could escape the pesky eyes of a Versace wannabe. Still no sign of Sky or Olivia. Growing warmer for every minute, Jughead thought of taking a small break by pretending to go to the bathroom but Miranda was still staring at him, touching the fabric of his clothes, inspecting him yet again while ranting to Agnes and Emilia about getting an idea for her class's fashion show. She pulled out her phone and started taking pictures.

"No offense, Miranda, but I'm not really the type to stand around and model." Jughead said annoyed, straightening his flannel shirt for the nth time and covering his face whenever she pointed the phone at his head.

"Nonsense." She scoffed as she straightened his jacket, smiling sweetly at him. "I really think I've found the next trend here. The dark angry broody bold black look. And a beanie to top it off." She stepped forward and made an attempt to grab his beanie but Jughead saw it coming and quickly stepped away, grabbing her hands.

"I'm going to have to stop the manhandling with the beanie." He said, letting her hands go then pointing at his head. "That beanie is _sacred_."

"Miranda, leave the guy alone." Agnes chuckled as she finished her beer and got handed a dark coloured shot from Emilia before they both drank it quickly, grimacing at the strong taste. They pointed at their friend and giggled. "I think you've violated him enough for one day." Agnes slurred at Jughead. "We're really sorry, _Jigsaw_ , she is just so imposing sometimes. She really means well."

"I've noticed." He replied dryly as he followed Miranda, making certain to keep a step away from her in case she'd get handsy again. He didn't mind the polite talk but being dissected like this from a complete stranger was a bit too much. He made his mind up and thought of leaving for good. _If she insists on checking me up some more I might just strip down instead and give her my clothes just to shut her up_ , he thought wisely. "Look guys." He said, trying to sound polite. "It's been nice talking to you but I think I'll go check out the pool, maybe I can find Olivia by myself."

Miranda, her expression suddenly falling, took a quick step forward again and grabbed his arms, practically pressing herself on him. "Oh please Jughead, I really think I've got something here. Please stay." She said, a sudden desperate look in her eyes.

Jughead, annoyed by the unwanted contact, tried to push her away but found that the tiny girl was just as strong as Betty.

"What the hell is going on, Miranda?"

* * *

Hope you guys liked it! I'm basing all college parties from teen movies so sorry if its overexagerated! Its pretty damn fun to write though!

Anyways, last chapter is coming up very soon! Thanks to all of you who are taking the time to read this, appreciate it!


	3. Chapter 3

_Ok, guys. Last chapter up! I appreciate everyone that's taken the time to read this and the review! ! I really do!_

* * *

 _Someone better alert Riverdale Medical Center_.

Everyone stopped and turned around to look at the tall, broad shouldered brown haired guy wearing a college jacket standing by the counter, his large hands rolled into large firsts. Jughead gulped and noticed his throat grow instantly dry as his bully-meter was way beyond alert. The guy looked quite angry as his eyes went to both him and Miranda. Instantly she let go of him and ran straight to the Even-Bigger-Moose guy, wrapping her little arms around his built body. "Oh Vinnie, thank god you're here." She beamed placing a light kiss on his cheek.

Vinnie looked down at his girlfriend, annoyed. "What the hell are you up to Miranda? Who's this guy?" He pointed at Jughead, glaring at him.

"Miranda found her muse" Emilia chuckled.

Miranda eagerly bobbed her head up and down, grinning at her boyfriend. "Vinnie, I think I got my ticket into Parsons. I've been taking mental notes on Jughead's outfit. Look at him. He's dark, he's bold, he's displaying his discontent to today's society, sort of like it did back in the grunge era, the suspenders add a bit of retro and his crown beanie clearly shows his rebellious side." She clapped her hands together. "I think this is the new thing, Vinnie, I really do. It'll be like the heroin addict look in the 90s, the g-string and no bra from the early millenia…" She beamed at dark haired boy.

Vinnie's anger disappeared and he turned to Jughead, looking at him again with sudden interest. "Jughead? As in _Jughead Jones_?"

Jughead, who now only wanted to completely disappear and dig a hole into the ground, gulped and nodded his head.

Vinnie now walked towards him and stopped in front of him. "Are you _the_ Jughead Jones that writes for _the Blue and Gold_ at Riverdale High?" He asked in awe. " _The_ Jughead Jones that wrote all those articles related to the Blossom Murder?"

Jughead ignored the scoff and disappointment from Emilia and Agnes as they learned he was only a high schooler and nodded his head, wondering what else could happen tonight.

Grinning, Vinnie grabbed hold of Jughead's hand and shook it violently. "Man, I'm so happy to finally talk to you." He smiled politely. "I'm majoring in creative writing next to my football scholarship and we've been reading your articles, analyzing them and all that. Man, they're so good, the way you write them with such passion. Man." He shook his head in awe. "Your articles are quite popular just so you know. We actually tried to get you to be a guest in our class but our teacher said that your principle didn't want to hear any of it, saying that you should be guarded from even more exposure after the murders."

Jughead, feeling somewhat touched and confused all together, was surprised that his articles had actually been analyzed in college, actually analyzed at all. Was that even possible? Had anyone outside high school actually read them? The articles, _his_ articles were discussed in a public arena? He peeked outside the window and looked up at the night sky wondering if the moon was full but found that there was no moon. He felt a tinge of pride bursting in his chest, satisfied that his writings were actually being considered to be professional enough to be used in a college classroom and not treated as simple " _young adult_ " literature.

"Look, I have a few of my classmates at the party." Vinnie started, a bit more reserved, his brown almond eyes glittering in hope. "You think we could have a chat with you? They, _we_ all liked your articles. I'm pretty sure they'd appreciate it."

The talking stopped and suddenly Jughead was in the spotlight, all eyes on him. For the rarest of times, probably since Mr. Thomas's 7th grade biology presentation that had gone awfully wrong (because he hadn't bothered prepared anything on the human brain and ended up constantly repeating the word "brain" before Mr. Thomas stopped him and gave him detention), Jughead felt his cheeks redden and grow warm. _Jughead Jones? Bashful?_ He was desperately trying to find something gritty or cheeky to say but found himself mumbling like a moron. "I don't really know what to say…" He muttered.

" _Come on Jugsy_!" Agnes and Emilia's drunken cheers broke the awkward moment, hollering and hooting words of encouragement.

Vinnie looked at him ever hopeful. "Come on dude." He said eagerly. "You might inspire us losers!"

Not knowing whether there was a word that could describe something beyond being just flattered, Jughead pursed his lips before breaking into a semi smirk. "Sure, okay." He said.

"Great man. You won't regret it." Vinnie quickly squeezed his shoulders before ushering him out of the kitchen.

" _You go and impress them Jughead_!" He heard the girls' voice echo behind him.

They went to the living room and Vinnie called out several names before clearing the couch that had been previously occupied by two horny couples.

Jughead lost count of the time as he became enthralled in a discussion with six other kids from Vinnie's class. They were equally thrilled to get a chance to talk and asked him questions regarding to the articles he had written and the murder itself. He found himself quite liberal in his answers. He didn't even mind getting the more private personal questions (even if he tried not to answer all of them). Jughead found the experience quite surreal. This was simply unknown, unheard of even. People, total strangers, actually _appreciating_ his work? Could that even exist? While the students were talking animatedly, eager, polite and even _friendly_ , Jughead had to pause several times and look around to see if he could notice any sign of deception, prank or just something that would reveal this moment to be a completely joke but found none. As the discussion continued, he found himself to be having a rather nice time as not only did they talk about his articles but also talked about other similar books and authors.

"Dude, I just have to ask though… Is that gang leader, FP Jones, is he really your dad?" Vinnie asked all of a sudden. The conversation stopped and the students looked at him, bobbing their heads eagerly.

Jughead's face slightly fell at that moment but knew they were simply curious. He couldn't escape that topic and decided that it was pointless to not answer. He nodded his head. While he expected the usual glance of disappointment and disgust, the kids were sighing, some emitting "Ohhhs" or simply mouthing an "o"…

Vinnie looked at his classmates before he smiled, sympathetically. "Dude, that's harsh though… My dad's in state prison for violating his paroles all too often… I know how it is…" He paused, slightly saddened. "My foster parents made me bust my ass to get in college and make something out of myself. I'll always be grateful for them for believing in me."

"Sometimes its easier to get inspired when you've been through tough shit, don't you think?" Jughead answered, frankly. The two continued on talking about that subject, Vinnie opening up about his struggles with his father in jail and living in a foster home. Jughead decided it was only just to oblige and revealed on his own struggles, living with the Andrews while his dad was in jail and his future still unknown to him. The two boys bonded quickly and after listening to Vinnie, who seemed to be pulling through, Jughead began to hope that maybe things have a way to sort themselves out. Jughead ended making a connection with most of the kids there. Sure, they were amateurs when it came to writing, some having only taken creative writing until they could figure out what they really wanted to do but it didn't matter to him, they showed interest in learning about the subject and that counted for a lot. The connection appeared to be reciprocated as the others listened to him, laughed at his quirky jokes, they understood his humour and valued his opinion.

He was talking about the part when he and Betty met Grandma Blossom in Jason's room and imitated her voice when he jumped in a start when he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder. He quickly turned around and saw Betty standing there with a wide grin that always made Jughead go soft, thinking he was unworthy of having such a girl. Sky stood next to her, followed by a girl and a guy who were none other than Jeremy and Olivia.

"Sidetracked I see?" Betty's voice exclaimed sweetly as she looked at the people who were mesmerized by the raven-haired boy only a few seconds earlier.

"Who's that?" A boy in the group asked airily.

Jughead suddenly bolted from the couch, suddenly remembering what he was meant to be doing, which was to find Olivia and this Jeremy. "Betty! What are you doing here? I was…" He stuttered nervously, looking at his new friends then at his girlfriend. "I was waiting for… I mean… They just wanted to talk about my…"

Betty bit her lip and tried hard not to laugh as she barely had seen Jughead Jones in a nervous fit. "Jug, take a deep breath. It's okay." She said in a reassuring voice, placing her hand on his chest.

Taking a deeper breath, Jughead could now think a bit straighter. "I'm okay." He said a bit stronger.

"I know you are." She quipped, fixing his beanie. "You've gotten yourself a bunch of groupies I see." She looked over his shoulder, smiling and waving her hand at the group who were watching the whole scene, their mouths fallen to the floor.

"I think that's his girlfriend." Vinnie whispered loudly to the rest of the gang.

"My god the guy's so cool. He's got the talent _and_ the hottest girl." A girl whispered in awe.

Flattered, Betty's cheeks reddened as she ignored the comments and looked at Jughead who was smiling embarrassed, shrugging his shoulders. "I'll tell you the rest of the story later." He whispered to her.

"You don't need to, I've been watching you for a while now, _Professor Jones_ " She whispered back, earning a few chuckles from his _groupies_. Betty turned to them, apologetically. "I'm really sorry guys but I really need him back."

Jughead excused himself, thanking them for their time. Most of them were saddened to see him go and actually thanked _him_ for spending _his_ time with _them_! Words he never thought he'd ever hear.

"Hey, Jughead, I can talk to my professor and ask him to invite you again? I'm pretty sure the rest of the class would love to get a chance to talk to the next Truman Capote." Vinnie asked eagerly.

Jughead frowned, feeling for the rarest of time an actual desire to want to talk and share anecdotes with others. "Yeah, sure, just send me a message or something, I think I can get my friend's dad to let me go there." He replied, considering the offer. "But don't go to Weatherbee, he wouldn't see an opportunity if it kicked him in the ass." The duo shaked hands before he turned to his girlfriend.

They walked out of the living room but not without Betty chuckling and grinning as she turned back to look at the group who watched him leave. " _What_?" Jughead said defensively when they shared a quick glance.

Betty looked away, her smiled never fading. "Nothing Juggie, nothing at all." She answered sweetly. "Come on then." Betty pressed as they walked out into by the pool. "I know where Lucy is!"

She quickly informed Jughead that she had bailed on her parent's obligatory dinner when she saw how worried he'd been to go there. Since she had talked to Olivia and exchanged numbers, she texted her just as she was leaving the Cooper household. Since she didn't see Jughead anywhere she just went to meet up Olivia and Jeremy who were talking to Sky. In the end, the mystery ended as soon as Betty talked to both of them and it all came back to Cheryl Blossom.

The redhaired cheerleader had been a little _too_ involved with a college quarterback and when his girlfriend found out about it, she had done her homework and stolen an item that Cheryl would greatly miss. Jeremy had overheard the scorned girlfriend's sorrowful tale at study hall a week before midterms, thus reporting it to Olivia over the phone while Betty was waiting in line behind her at the coffee shop.

Lucy was found not too long after the party, standing high as a center piece over a fireplace of an nearby sorority house. With the help of their college friends, Jughead and Betty snuck into the house and claimed back their priceless stuffed animal to the joy of the cheerleading squad.

# # # # # # #

Several weeks passed by and the River Vixens rejoiced in the retrieval of their beloved Lucy. Learning the cause of her disappearance, Cheryl Blossom took the blunt of her fellow vixens' wrath and was shunned for a week or so until she couldn't manage being the outcast any longer and bought their loyalty back by offering new cheerleading outfits to the entire squad. She had also taken it upon herself for the whole team to stay in an upscale hotel for the next regional cheerleading competition.

The return of Lucy had already shown its effects as the squad won the regional tournament. Their number obtained an ovation from the audience and greatly impressed the judges.

After a usual dreary winter day, the gang was sitting at Pops, talking about the tournament.

"What I don't understand is why none of you took the chance to boot out Cheryl!" Kevin said, disappointed. "It's her freaking fault that you were put in that predicament in the first place."

Betty rolled her eyes. "Yeah, we wanted to but then she turned out the water works, blaming the guy and how she really _really_ loved him and they were meant to be…" She paused and sighed. "Then she offered us these new brand new shiny outfits with matching pompoms and shoes and laces for our hair!" She pulled at Jughead's sleeve. "Matching laces!"

"Do you know how hard it is to find matching laces?" Veronica said to Archie, lamenting the struggles.

Archie and Jughead stared at one another, a horrified look on their faces. _Is that what cheerleaders are thinking most of the time?_ They seemed to be asking one another but dared not saying out loud, fearing a backlash. Frowning, they both took slurps from their milkshakes just as they heard the familiar clinging of the bells as the door opened, announcing the arrival of new customers.

"Oh my god." Archie and Veronica gasped in unison as their eyes widened.

Jughead, Betty and Kevin turned around and if anyone could see, all the teens had their mouths wide opened in surprise.

A couple of college guys had entered the shop, ordering something off the menu. They appeared to be the most normal of guys but what was surprising was their choice of clothes: dark pants, suspenders hanging down and flannel shirt. What was odd was that they were wearing these dark grey beanies on their head. They were talking between themselves and did not seem to give a care. Noticing that a bunch of high schoolers were sitting watching them, they turned around and looked at the group, their eyes fell on Jughead.

They glanced at one another before walking up to him, breaking into smiles. " _Jugsy_!" One of them burst loudly enough to make the other patrons momentarily looking into their direction. "Man, it's good to see you again! Nice to see you too Betty."

"Hey Vinnie." Jughead smirked shyly, looking up embarrassed at his college acquaintances. Betty slipped her arm around his and smiled politely.

"Dude." The guy next to Vinnie interrupted. "I heard you rocked at the lecture last week! Man! People are still talking about it. I was so annoyed that I overslept that day!"

"Yeah. Professor Lowe was wondering if maybe you'd like to come over again a little later in the year, if you want to of course." Vinnie said, hopeful.

"Yeah, ok. I'll think about it… Just send me an email or whatever." Jughead muttered, his cheeks reddening.

"Guys! Your orders' up." Pop's voice came from the counter.

"Alright Jugsy. We're outta here. You're always welcome in Riverdale College. Don't be a stranger okay? Agnes, Emilia and Miranda keep asking about you." Vinnie winked and extended his arm and made a fist before Jughead reluctantly did the same, both fists knocking one another in a friendly salute. "Take care bro." Vinnie gently tapped his shoulder again before the duo went over to Pop, grabbed their food and left, the familiar bells clinging eagerly.

Jughead and Betty turned back to their friends. A silence suddenly filled over their table. Kevin, Archie and Veronica stared at Jughead intensely.

" . .That?" Veronica asked slowly in shock as she pointed her finger towards the door. She turned to Kevin and Archie. "You guys saw that too, right?"

Kevin slowly nodded his head. Silently, the three friends turned to look at Jughead who sank into his seat, his face paling.

"Jug?" Archie asked carefully. "Do you know those guys?"

It wasn't until Betty giggled that the silence broke. "Yeah, just laugh why don't you." Jughead said darkly, as Betty placed a comforting hand on his cheek, smiling sweetly at him.

"Jughead, can I tell please tell them?" Betty asked eagerly.

"Fine." Jughead sighed, looking out the window. "Get it over and done with."

Having been sworn to secrecy, Betty had not uttered one word of their night at the party, nor shared his guest-appearance at Riverdale college. Betty couldn't understand why her boyfriend didn't want to share this positive experience with his friends but Jughead insisted that he didn't want everyone to know how things had been great… He'd struggled already with the unexpected attention and popularity from the college scene, receiving more attention from his own friends would just make his circuits shorten even more, or so he had explained to Betty after she had called him out on being too broody after his appearance in the writing class. After a mini-meltdown, _à la birthday party_ (minus the secrets or the weirdo-monologue), Jughead revealed that despite the praise, the positive feedbacks and multiple admirations, he still expected for it to be a cruel joke, that he'd wake up one day and realize that someone was just pulling a horrible prank and that his talent was non-existent.

Luckily, getting used to his insecurities, Betty managed to convince him (in a good _kick-in-the-ass_ fashion) that he was in fact, a great writer, that the college kids did truly admire him, close to worshipping him for being so " _cool_." Having been asked to be present at the lecture, Betty had sat in the back of the class and had paid close attention to the students' reaction, overhearing " _cute for a high schooler_ ", " _the next Truman Capote_ " to " _he's going to make it big someday_." She'd also notice how quickly he had the room under his spell. If only she could have shown him a picture of the students enthralled by his answers and his comments on his writing. He had totally owned the classroom.

Veronica coughed politely. "Betty, please care to explain." She demanded, impatient.

Betty obliged and revealed the ordeal they had gone through that night at the party and the consequences afterwards. "And Vinnie invited him to be a guest in his creative writing class last week which went perfect if I might say so myself." She beamed proudly at Jughead, tightening her grip on his arm, her entire body leaning into his. She looked at her friends who were still gaping in disbelief. "You guys, he got the _whole_ class to talk and dissect his article. The kids were totally listening to you, Jug. Even the teacher, he was very impressed. He told me he hoped he didn't have to see you anytime soon as his student because you should get into a college that deserves your talent."

Jughead, turned away from the window and looked at Betty. "He said that?!" He asked in a low voice.

She nodded her head eagerly before placing a kiss on his cheek. She knew it wasn't the right time to tell him that Professor Lowe had been so impressed that he was willing to write him a letter of recommendation if and when he applies for.

"Oh my god, Jughead Jones." Veronica whispered as she leaned back into the vinyl couch, utterly surprised. She shook her head. "I never thought I'd see the day…"

" _Hey_!" Jughead said, slightly insulted as he shot a death glare at the raven-haired queen. "You'd be cutting my throat off if you'd heard me saying that the day Ginger Jackson here is going to play to a sold-out crowd at the MSG."

Veronica scoffed. "Pff, MSG…" She waved a hand. "More like Carnegie Hall. Daddy knows someone there."

"Hey!" Archie interrupted, being both let down by his girl and his best friend. "I'm sitting here, you know!"

Jughead and Veronica briefly glanced at one another before smirking.

"Wow" Archie said, playing with the salt shaker in his hand, twirling it from side to side. "That's great man! I'm… We're all proud of you." Kevin and Veronica nodded eagerly. "You gotta keep working with your novel and I'm sure you'll find someone who'll publish it one day."

"Oh man." Kevin started excitedly. "You got a free ticket into the frat houses at Riverdale College now. Jughead! Remember to bring me next time you go there okay?"

"Right." He said dryly, knowing well what Kevin might be interested in. _Tall, broad shoulders, likes musicals… Maybe I'll give him Jeremy's number…_

The five friends were then praising Jughead's work and his accomplishments. After several minutes, his mood had lightened.

"You know!" Veronica explained all of a sudden. "All that's happened to Jughead here is due to Lucy! I told you she brings good luck! See!"

"It was coincidence!" Jughead said pointedly, as he took a sip from his milkshake. "That fury fiend of yours is just a piece of ugly decoration!"

Veronica and Betty exchanged looked at one another. "Non-believer!" They whispered to one another.

"Ok, I get that Jughead's gotten a following but eh, what's up with the army of the Mini-Jugheads?" Veronica asked.

Jughead's smirk quickly disappeared as he emitted a groan and hid his head on the table, a loud dunk resonating. Betty placed a hand on his back, rubbing small circles. "Apparently a lot of people were impressed by his fashion statement at the party." She whispered to them. Archie, Veronica and Kevin leaned over the table, waiting intently for the rest of story.

"And it's Miranda's fault." Jughead said darkly

"Wait." Archie lifted up his hand, getting more confused. "Who the hell is Miranda?"

"What were you up to Jughead?" Veronica was eyeing him, suspiciously.

"Who? Me?" Jughead replied, annoyed by the unnecessary accusations. "I didn't do a goddamn thing, its that… it's that _girl_ …" Annoyed, he reluctantly told them of his encounter with Miranda. "Her class is going to have a fashion show by the end of the school year and apparently I inspired her so much that she's been bugging me constantly, sending million emails, asking about my opinion… On color and cuts and shit like that… _God_!" He let out a big sigh, and leaned back on the seat.

"So that's why she was taking pictures of you." Betty added as she connected the dots.

"Yeah, she was basically manhandling me, dissecting every inch of my clothes." He groaned as he straightened his clothes. "She would have started taking my measurements if I'd let her."

"The college kids must have been impressed by your style, Juggie! " Betty informed. "Hence the Mini Jugheads…"

"Stop saying that." Jughead groaned miserably.

"Who would have thought the day Jughead Jones would become popular and a fashion icon?" Kevin chuckled, looking at the raven-haired boy with stars in his eyes. It seemed as though he had gotten a new admirer to his growing list.

"That Miranda is a genius!" Veronica exclaimed. "Making social pariah-ism into a fashion style!" Jughead shot a death glare at his raven companion. "No offense, Jug, we are all friends here."

Jughead remained quiet, brooding away until Betty gently shook him, her smiled never faltering. He finally lifted his head, passing a head through his hair. "Maybe I should start going more shirtless like my roomie here instead…" He muttered just as Kevin and Betty's eye's widened as they gasped , their heads bobbing up and down in complete agreement, the idea not sounding too bad.

Jughead groaned again and hid his head in the table once more, although, realizing that the perks of being popular not being as bad as he once thought… If anyone could have been able to see through the table, they would have been able to see a small yet genuine smile on the raven boy's face.

 _Popular? Me?_

 _Yeah, right…_

* * *

 _Alright guys! I really hoped you enjoyed this! It was really fun to write even if it was minimal bughead and all! It's fun to make Jughead the opposite of what he usually is or what he usually goes through! The guy deserves such a break!_ _It was just a crazy idea that popped into my head while I was working on my other, darker fanfic that I hope to publish at one point soon. I've read enough angsty fanfics that sometimes its fun to just go the opposite way!_

 _I appreciate every single one that's read this, followed this and reviewed (eventually!)..._

 _And a big shoutout to all bughead writers! Such creativity for such a great couple! I'm constantly impressed by the stories that pop up!_


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